The Imperfect Cook: Cheese Tortellini

Bonjour! Welcome to the latest episode of The Imperfect Cook!
On this fine Saturday afternoon we are going to be making our very own cheese tortellini...from scratch!
Its a grand adventure to be sure. If you are expecting Martha Stewart-esque results, you may want to take a few deep breaths before proceeding.

This may look like the Pioneer Woman set-up, but I'm definitely no Pioneer Woman. You'll see for yourself...
What we have here is for the cheese filling: Ricotta and Parmesan cheese, salt, nutmeg, pepper, and one egg. Unfortunately I've copped out and I'm not using fresh grated Parmesan...which would taste infinitely better. Oh well.
The recipe from my textbook makes a huge batch, and I wasn't exactly sure how much I wanted to do...so I just eyeballed it. Around 1 1/2 cups of Ricotta, probably. Lots of parm. The egg. And the seasonings. Mix 'em up. Pop it in the fridge until your pasta is done. Just say "NO" to salmonella poisoning!
I threw some cheddar in as an afterthought. I wanted a little more bite.
This also makes a large amount, so...ya, I guessed on this one too! Probably somewhere near a third of this recipe.
Flour, olive oil, salt, and egg! If you can find semolina sub it for half your flour. It makes a much nicer, and more professional product. Dump your flour (and semolina if you have it) on the table and make a well in the center. Crack your egg and toss it in there.
Bonjour Katie! She is demonstrating for us how to mix the egg. Start by beating just the egg with a fork. Then slowly start incorporating the flour by brushing the sides of the well as you beat. Don't forget to add about a tablespoon of olive oil to the egg at this point. I did.
It should begin to form a gooey dough.
If you're feeling especially adventurous, you can add pureed spinach, or red peppers, tomatoes (whatever your little heart desires) and make different colored pasta! Yum!
Eventually you will have to get your hands dirty and give that goo a little press or two, until it holds together. Don't be like me and add waaaay too much flour. It makes it tough.
I don't own a pasta maker. Its a handy-dandy tool we use at school that reminds of me of those old-fashioned contraptions people would use to wring the water out of their wet laundry. Only at school we are squeezing pasta through it, not underwear.
When your pasta is nice and thin, like construction paper (?!), cut it into 4 inch squares. Or if you are completely angle-cutting deficient, just make irregular rectangles, like me!
Now here's the fun part! Get a cup of water and a pastry brush. Lightly dip your brush in the water, and wipe it on the edge. You don't want toooo much water on there, just enough to moisten your pasta square, so that it will stick together.
Now its time to pull out that scrumptious cheese filling! Place a little spoonful a little to one side of the center.
Fold one corner over to meet the opposite corner.
Now, starting at one side and working your way to the other, press the pasta together. The trick is to get all the air out of the pocket, and make it seal cleanly, with no cheese in between the layers. If this happens, when you boil it, the tortellini is going to open up and leak cheese into your water....ewwwww!
Take the two side points and fold them, one on top of the other.
Like so. Now take the point, and tuck it back, on the opposite side of the folds.
Isn't it CUUUUUTE?!?!?! (I forgot to take a picture of our finished product on Saturday, so I had to go and make one single little tortellini to take a shot of! That's why this ones a little pale. I didn't use an egg in making him.)
I also forgot to take a picture of the boiling process, but I'm sure you can figure it out! Once your water is boiling, toss 'em in, and when they float to the top (not usually more than a minute or two) they are done!
I made a simple tomato sauce, with cream, basil, oregano, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle a little more parm on top, and voila!
Scrumptious homemade cheese tortellini! It really doesn't take that long to make at all, and it tastes soooo good :)